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Chapter Fourteen

K itty’s blood hammered through her veins. She blinked, trying to clear her vision of Garrick, in this very private, very enclosed, very remote space, blocking the only exit.

But her vision wouldn’t clear. He was here.

Don’t panic.

She gripped the edge of the bench and forced her gaze to meet his. “Garrick, I’m surprised to see you here. I thought you’d gone into the village.”

He gave her a canny smile and sauntered toward her. “Change of plans.”

He lifted one booted foot to set it on the bench entirely too close to her hip. “I thought I’d surprise you on your walk. Surprise.”

A chill skittered down her spine. He’d followed her, and she hadn’t had a clue.

“Kitty, you must know by now if I want something, I’m bound to get it.” His eyes gleamed with a sort of mania. It frightened her more than the loathing she’d come to expect.

“What is it you’re after, Garrick?”

“What do I want,” he said, as if savoring the words. “A private word, for one. It’s been so long since we’ve had a moment alone.”

She slid to one side of the bench. “Why don’t you sit down. We can talk here.” And if he sat, instead of looming over her, he’d clear a path to the exit.

He glanced deliberately over his shoulder before lowering himself to sit beside her, much too close for comfort or propriety. His thigh pressed into hers, deliberately goading her, she’d wager.

She kept her expression carefully blank. “What did you wish to discuss?”

Garrick stared at her, his dark eyes stark against his too-pale complexion. “I saw you the other night, you know.”

“S-saw me?”

“Whoring with Thurgood.”

A hot flush burned her cheeks. That anyone should see her in such an intimate circumstance, much less Garrick, mortified her beyond words.

“Nice effect with the missish blush.” He crooked a hard finger under her chin, forcing her eyes to meet his.

“Seeing the two of you did make me reconsider Claybourne’s claim you’d been compromised.

Not that it changes things.” He paused a beat, and dropped his hand.

“He’ll never marry you, you know. Not after you’ve let him sample your wares. ”

“I’ve heard quite enough,” she said, vibrating with a righteous anger she welcomed over the fear he inspired.

She half-rose, but Garrick grasped her forearm, his fingers like bands of steel. “We’re not finished here,” he said through gritted teeth.

She could not hope to best Garrick in an out-and-out struggle. Frustrated impotence burned in her stomach, but she resumed her seat.

He loosened his grip to run his thumb over the tender skin at her wrist. “Kitty, you must see I’m trying to help you.”

His new tack didn’t fool her for a second. But to buy time, she nodded once.

He opened his fingers.

She snatched her arm back and massaged her aggrieved skin.

“Cousin, what do you think will happen to you when it comes out you’ve been living with Thurgood for the last several months? After he casts you aside, your reputation will be ruined beyond repair. You’ll be a social pariah.”

“What do you care what happens to me? You’ve claimed your reward. You’ve got the Maidstone title, a substantial inheritance, and now a tidy sum in exchange for marrying me off. I would think you’d be satisfied.”

A cold smile spread over his face. “The funds will soon be in my account, and they’re mine to keep whether or not Thurgood goes through with the ceremony.”

“Which he will.” She hoped she sounded convincing. “Garrick, you must know if you do anything to obstruct my engagement, the earl will exact retribution.”

His lips tightened. “I have no need to act. I have only to wait. But for your sake, I’m asking you to come away with me now. We can forget all the ugliness of the past.”

She stared at him. “Come with you and do what?”

“Marry me, of course.”

She laughed. “Are you mad?”

His jaw clenched. “I’m trying to save you from disaster, cousin, as any good guardian would. Do you remember the first time we met?”

His question caught her off guard. “It was at my parent’s funeral.”

“I watched you prissing about in your finery, you and your spoiled brother. My father told me how your side of the family held itself superior. And that day, I saw it myself, first-hand. Do you think I didn’t know you whispered behind our backs?”

She frowned. She hadn’t even known who he was until he left and she overheard her grandfather discussing Garrick and his kin with Collin.

“I still see it. You think you’re above me. Just like the old man thought 'til the day he died.” Garrick’s upper lip curled into a sneer.

“You’re wrong, Garrick. Grandfather took you in, accepted you as family, made you his heir.”

“Ah yes. His heir. Because there was no one else to name after your dear, sainted brother disappeared. But he treated me like so much dirt under his nails.”

His slander was too much. “He welcomed you into our home. And you repaid his generosity by—”

“Generosity.” Garrick erupted. “Everything you took for granted all your life—position, wealth, prestige—all of it should have been mine by birth.”

“And now you’ve got what you wanted, haven’t you? What have I to do with any of your delusions of grandeur?”

“Delusions?” he roared, spittle flying as temper exploded out of him. Grasping her face between his gloved hands, he forced her to meet his wild eyes. “It’s you who has delusions. When I get through with you, there will be no doubt who is superior, countess. ”

“Let. Go. Of. Me.” She clawed at his leather gloves, more terrified than she’d been in her life.

Breath hissing through his clenched teeth, he pressed forward, forcing her bodily from the bench onto the thick ground cover, pinning her with his weight.

His dark eyes sparked with manic rage. He spread his legs, straddling her, trapping her skirts with his knees and immobilizing her from the waist down.

But her arms were free. She shoved at him 'til she felt her bones might snap from the strain, but he barely budged except to slide a hand between them to grasp a handful of her skirts.

“G-garrick, p-please. You really d-don’t want to do this.”

“No, Garrick, you really don’t.” Zeke’s deadly calm voice shocked Garrick into stillness.

A moment later, Kitty’s body was freed of his suffocating weight.

She scampered back into a sitting position and stared at the unlikely sight of Garrick dangling in midair.

Zeke looked like a Viking warrior with his golden hair wildly unkempt, his white teeth bared, his chest muscles rippling as he held his quarry aloft with one clenched fist.

“Release…me…at…once,” Garrick wheezed.

“Very well.” With a flick of his wrist, he flung Garrick across the courtyard.

He landed facedown.

Zeke’s gaze shifted to Kitty. “Are you all right?” His voice was surprisingly gentle.

“Y-yes.” She gripped the bench, pulling herself up with the intention of going to him, but her legs wouldn’t support her. She dropped onto the seat.

Garrick, now on all fours, gasped for air. “You knocked…the…breath…from me.”

“Get up and face me like a man.” Zeke ground out.

Kitty cried out in alarm.

Garrick dragged himself to his feet, glowering at Zeke. “If you attack me, I swear I’ll take her from here so fast your head will spin, contract be damned.”

“She’s not going anywhere.”

“I agreed to the marriage, Thurgood, but the contract stipulates nothing about her living arrangements for the length of your betrothal.”

“Nor does it say I can’t issue you a formal challenge,” Zeke replied, not missing a beat.

Kitty’s heart seized. She would die if anything happened to Zeke because of her stupidity. “No, Zeke. Please.” She may as well not have spoken.

Garrick seemed to realize the direness of his situation. “I didn’t hurt her,” he said, his voice rising an octave. “She said so herself. You can’t challenge me over such a minor offense.”

“A minor offense? Is that what you call—” Zeke gestured toward Kitty, his mouth clamped shut almost as if he couldn’t bare to say the words aloud. “I could kill you with my bare hands.”

Garrick lurched backwards, and his eyes darted toward the exit. “It looked bad, that’s all. We were simply having a disagreement. She spoke out of turn and I had to teach her a lesson. Ask her yourself.”

Zeke rolled his shoulders. He turned to Kitty, nostrils flaring, twin blue flames burning in his eyes. What would he do if she told him Garrick had attacked her with the intent of forcing himself on her—again?

He would defend her. She knew it like she knew her name. What if he ended up hurt? Or facing criminal charges for harming Garrick, however well-deserved?

“H-he’s right. It was a mere disagreement,” she lied.

Seizing his chance, Garrick pressed on. “Look, Thurgood, if you agree not to blow this whole thing out of proportion, I’ll agree not to remove her from Chissington Hall this very afternoon.”

A muscle ticked in Zeke’s jaw. “You’ll agree not to remove her from the premises for the duration of our engagement.”

Garrick’s mouth flattened into a grim line, but he nodded.

“Hear me well, James.” Zeke’s upper lip curled. “Lay a finger on my fiancé again, and it’ll be the last thing you ever do. Now get out of here before I change my mind and give you the thrashing you deserve.”

Garrick ran for the exit.

“Don’t let me see your face for the remainder of the day.” Zeke did not spare Garrick’s retreating form another glance. But he fixed Kitty with a hard stare.

She could not look away if she tried. “It appears you’ve come to my aid yet again, my lord.” Her voice sounded small. Powerless. She bit down hard on her lower lip.

“Something I wouldn’t have had to do if you’d used some common sense.”

She sniffed, fighting tears. Because, of course he was right.

“Why would you venture out alone to this secluded location knowing the sort of threat your cousin poses?”

She lowered her gaze to her hands, twisting in her lap. “He said he was heading to town. I had no notion he followed me until a few moments ago.”

“Yes, but you know how crafty the man is. Why would you come here alone?”

“I made a mistake.” She rose from the bench, moving on unsteady legs to a patch of wildflowers. Anything to hide her face, to keep herself from cracking into a million pieces in front of Zeke. She couldn’t bear it. Not that, too.

“A mistake? Has it occurred to you what might’ve resulted here if I hadn’t arrived when I did? Or did you simply expect me to come to your rescue again?”

He may as well have slapped her. She rounded on him. “I didn’t expect anything from you. I didn’t ask for your help. I didn’t ask for any of this.”

He arched a brow at her. “I seem to recall hearing you showed up on my grandfather’s stoop.”

“I did. Of course I did. What do you want me to say? I’m well aware I’m a burden on you and your family.

” She balled her hands into fists at her sides.

“I tried to right the matter. That’s why I revealed myself to Garrick at Claybourne Manor.

Because I didn’t want your family dragged through the gossip mill.

"I swear to you, I had no intention of involving the earl further. I didn’t ask for this phony engagement—with you of all people.

It’s not as if I don’t know you resent me for dragging you into this.

If I could, I’d call a halt to this farce right now.

And as to this”—she made a sweeping gesture with her hand—“I’m sorry to have troubled you.

It may not have looked like it, but I was managing the situation just f-fine… ”

She broke off, unable to speak over the lump in her throat. To her horror, her mouth contorted and her eyes welled with helpless tears. She turned her back on him, and pressed a hand to her quivering chin.

Zeke cursed under his breath and closed the distance between them. He grasped her shoulders. “Kitty,” he said softly, his mouth close to her ear. “Enough.” Using a gentle pressure, he turned her to face him.

“No,” she wailed in protest as he wrapped his arms around her, enveloping her in his warmth and strength. She held herself rigid, resisting her body’s disloyal inclination to melt into him and accept the comfort he offered.

He ran one hand down her spine. “I’m sorry I came down on you so hard.” She felt his hard swallow. “Did he hurt you?” He asked in an achingly tender voice.

“No,” she nestled into his chest, going pliant against him in spite of her good intentions. He felt so good. Smelled so good. Like soap, and cologne, and sunshine and Zeke.

He heaved a sigh. “You’re wrong, you know.”

Dear God, what now? She tilted her head back to gaze up at him and found herself caught by his velvet blue stare.

“I don’t resent helping you.”

“Yes, you do,” she insisted. “Why wouldn’t you? I’ve been nothing but trouble, and you couldn’t make it more obvious you dislike me.”

He gave her the lazy smile that never failed to turn her knees to jelly. “That’s ridiculous.”

“Is it? Not five minutes ago you lambasted me for embroiling you in yet another of my conundrums.”

“I was wrong to do that. I reacted like an ogre because—” He broke off, but did not look away. “Because I didn’t like seeing you hurt.”

“Oh.”

“And I do like you.”

“You do?”

“I do. Which is why I want you to promise you won’t go off on your own again so long as Garrick resides here.”

“But—”

“Promise me, Kitty. Unless you want to see me face the gallows?”

She bit her lower lip. “Very well. I promise.”

He tucked a loose lock of hair behind her ear, his long fingers grazing her cheek.

She shivered. Felt something warm and liquid swirl low in her belly. Time to get herself in hand. She took a small step backwards, and his arms fell to his sides.

She lowered her lashes, lest he see the sharp disappointment swamping her. “I should get back to the manse.”

“I’ll walk with you.”

She nodded. He gestured for her to precede him out of the garden, and her gaze skimmed over him, pausing at his bare throat. No cravat? For that matter, no coat jacket. She hadn’t noticed his odd state of dress until this moment, preoccupied as she’d been with more pressing matters.

He wore his shirtsleeves with the arms rolled up to his elbows and his waistcoat partially unbuttoned. Strange he should be wandering the estate in such a state of dishabille . It looked as if he’d dashed from a burning building.

“Zeke, how did you happen to be out here, a good mile from the house, at precisely the same moment as Garrick and I?”